Buckle.



Patented Feb. 5, |90I. A. F. FULLER..

B U C K L E (Application filed Oct. 8, 1900.)

(No Modal.)

' 'c2 if* IENTOR: .FULL

' ATTORNE TN: mums PETERS co. xmm'ouwo WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT EEicE.

ALBERT F. FULLER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO` THE J. E. MERGOTTCOMPANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,307, dated February5, 1901.

Application filed October 8, 1900. b'erial No. 32,368. (No modelo on,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates generally to improvements in buckles, and moreparticularly to that class of buckles which are employed with ladies orother belts; and the present invention is in the nature of improvementsin the construction of belt-buckles set forth in another application forLetters Patent Iiled by me on the 21st day of September, 1900, SerialvNo. 30,667.

The invention has for its principal object to simplify the generalconstruction of the belt-buckle and to provide an effective and durableconstruction, comprising a pair of sliding members, one of which isprovided with serrations or other suitable holding means and the othermember being provided with an oscillatory operating and holding clasp,which is actuated by means of a combined back or cross bar and spring,the said operating or holding clasp-being operatively connected withsaid combined back or cross bar and spring, so as to automaticallyengage the holding means and lock or hold the slide members of thebuckle together and to provide a more positive connection which can bepulled apart when the one end of the holding or locking clasp is liftedfrom its engagement with the serrations or other holding means by meansof a direct pressure against the other end of the said locking orholding clasp.

The present invention therefore consists in the novel construction ofbuckle hereinafter fully described; and, furthermore, this inventionconsists in the several novel arrangements and combinations of the partscomprising the buckle construction, consisting,

. essentially, of a pair of sliding members, one

being provided with holding-teeth, serrations, or other suitable holdingmeans and the other slide member being provided with a holding orlocking clasp or link upon its face, which is hung inthe middle, orapproximately so,

Iupon a pair of fulcrumal posts or supports on the other slide member,and the said holding or locking catch or link being provided withrearwardly-projecting lugs by means of which it is operatively connectedto and with a combined back bar and spring, all so arranged that theholding or locking clasp or link is capable of oscillation upon saidfulcrumal posts or supports, the said combined back bar and springforcing the one end portion of the said holding or locking clasp or linknormally in locked engagement with the serrations or teeth orotherholding means and the other end portion of the said holding orlooking catch or link being capable of a pressure against the same forlifting the opposite and holding end portion of the catch or link awayfrom its engagement with the said holding means.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure l is a face view of a belt buckle made according to mypresent invention, the slide members thereof being represented in theirheld or locked engagement. Fig. 2 is a back or rear Viewof the bucklewith the parts in the same positions, and Fig. 3 is a side or edge Viewof the buckle. Fig. 4 is a side or edge View of the buckle with theholding or locking catch or link raised from its engagement with theteeth or serrations on the one slide member of the buckle to permit theseparation or adjustment of the two members. Fig. 5 is a face View ofthe two slide members of the buckle, the same being represented in theirseparated positions. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section, on anenlarged scale, of the several parts of the buckle in their locked orheld positions; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the combined backbar and spring. Figs. 8 and 9 are a side view and vertical section,respectively, of a modified form of belt-buckle.

Similar letters of reference are employed in all of the saidabove-described views to indicate corresponding parts.

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In the said drawings, at and?) represent the two slide members of thebuckle, the same being made of metal and in practice being suitablyornamented, as will be clearly understood. The plates or slide membersaand b are respectively provided with rearwardlyi extending ears or lugsd and b', which are.y

formed with holes or perforations for the securing therein of suitableholding-pins c and c, towhich the respective ends of the belt;k

are to be fastened in the usual manner. Of course it will be understoodthat any other fastening means may be employed vin connecl portion cts,forming a suitable rib, and the.

other member b is likewise provided with a longitudinally-extendingraised portion b3, which is formed with serrations or holdingteeth b4,or any other suitable holding means. The said slide member b, as will beseen more particularly from an inspection of Fig. 5, is also providedwith cut-away portions b6 and with the narrow side flanges b5 adjacentto the longitudinal edges of the said raised portion b3.

From an inspection of Figs. 3 and 6 it will be seen that when the slidemember b is slid over the member ct the raised portion a3 of the slidemember ct slides into the curved and raised portion b3 of the member b,and the side anges b5 will slide upon the outer surface of the saidmember a, therebyiniparting a positive action of the said parts whenthus put together; The said slide member a, is also provided with a pairot' oppositely-placed holes or slots a6, into which extend the ears orlugs d of a catch-plate or link d, the undercurved surface of the 'saidplate or link d being arranged on a pair of outwardly-bent andsuitably-curved fulcrumal posts or supports at, substantially asillustrated in Figs. 3, et, and 6, the said fulcrumal supports or posts0,4 being preferably struck up from the .body-plate of the member a, asindicated, or

a support d may be formed directly in the ears d', bearing against theupper surface of the slide member a to be employed, as illustrated inFig. 9. In order that the said catchplat'e or link d may be held in itsoperative position upon the said fulcru mal posts or supports a, so asto be capable of oscillation thereon, I have provided the free ends ofeach lug or car d with a slot d2, leaving two projections or fingerscl3, which are bent over upon portions e' of a back bar e in such amanner that a tongue e2 at each lend ofthe said back bar e will rest inthe slot Pand between the said fingers d3 of each lug or ear d',substantially as illustrated. The said back bar e is provided with alongitudinally-extending 'spring-tongue-el, which is ypreferably formedintegral with the said bar and is provided with a curved or bentpart e5anda tree end e, which rests in the inner curved part ai in the back ofthe rib portion a3, substantially as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6. Theaction of this sprl iig-tongue c4 u nder normal conditions is to forcethe end portions of the back oar c in the direction of the arrow t inFig. 6 against the bent-over fingers or projections d3 of the ears orlugs d', connected with the catch-plate or link d, to thereby positivelycause the under :curved surface of the said catch-plate or link to ridedirectly upon the curved edges of the Fulcrum-al posts or supports a4and bring the one end d4 of the catch-plate or link CZ in its holding orlocked engagement with any one of the serrations or teeth b4 of theslide plate or member?) of the buckle. The arrangement of these severalparts is such that when the two slide members a and b of the buckle areslid over each other in thedirections of the arrows y and y' (indicatedin Fig. 3) the action of the end portion d4 of the said catch-plate orlink d will be in the direction of the arrow m', which permits the twoslide members to be operatively slid one upon the other. ln this mannerthe belt to which the buckle is attached can be readily adjusted aroundthe waist of the wearer, and when so adjusted the pull on the parts inthe opposite directions from those indicated by the arrows y and y willprevent the displacement of the two slide members until a slightpressure is brought by the person wearing the belt and its buckleagainst the end portion d5 of the catch-plate or link d in the directionof the arrow m2, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Thisaction will cause the holding end portion d4 of the 'catch-plate or linkd to become disengaged from its held or locked position with theserration or tooth b4 of the slide member b, as clearly illustrated insaid Fig. 4, and the two slide members (t and l) of the buckle can thenbe easily separated and the belt removed froni the waist of the wearer,or it can be readjusted, if desired.

Frein the above description of the invention and from an inspection ofthe drawings of the buckle it will be seen that I have devised a simpleand eective belt-buckle in which the parts can be readily and quicklymanipulated for the proper adjustment of the belt around the body of thewearer and in which there is no undue strain upon the connecting partsof the holding catch or link and the back bar, the direct pressurebeing` brought directly upon the fulcrumalsupports or posts a4 of theplate a, and since there is no lifting force to be applied to thevarious parts of the holding catch or link the parts can be renderedinoperative by accidental separation or the jamming of the hingeportions, which, as in the constructions as heretofore made, soonrenders the complete buckle inoperative.

My novel construction of buckle may be em- IOO IIO

ployed for many different purposes and is especially adapted forbelt-buckles and for use with suspenders, garters, and the like.

I am aware that changes may be made in the several arrangements andcombinations of the parts without departing from the scope of my presentinvention. Hence I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangementsand combinations of the parts as herein described, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, nor do I confine myself to the exact detailsof the construction of the said parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is*- l. A buckle,comprising, a pair of slide mem bers, movable one onv the other,serrations or holding-teeth on one of said members, forwardly-extendingfnlcrumal posts or supports on the other slide member, a catch-plate orlink arranged to oscillate on said fulcrumal posts or supports, andmeans connected with said catch-plate or link for retaining it in itsoperative position on said fulcrumal posts or supports, the saidcatch-plate or link having its one end normally in holding engagementwith a tooth or serration, and having its other end extending outwardlyin a direction away from the faces of the slide members and construct-edto be forced in a direction toward the faces of said members and releasethe holding portion of the catch-plate or link, substantially as and forthe purposes Set forth.

2. A buckle, comprising, a pair of slide members, movable one on theother, serrations or holding-teeth on one of said members,forwardly-extending fulcrumal posts or supports on the other slidemember, a catch-plate or link arranged to oscillate on said fulcrumalposts or supports, and a spring-actuated back bar connected with saidcatch-plate or link for retaining it in its operative position on saidfulcrumal posts or supports, the said catchplate or link having its oneend normally in holding engagement with a tooth or serration, and havingits other end extending outwardly in a direction away from the faces ofthe slide members and constructed to be forced in a direction toward thefaces of said members and release the holding portion of the catchplateor link, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A buckle, comprising, a pair of slide members, movable one on theother, serrations or holding-teeth on one of said members, and the othermember having a pair of openings, an oscillatory catch-plate or linkprovided with a pair of ears or lugs extending into and through saidopenings, bent-over fingers or projections on said ears or lugs formedwith an open portion or slot between them, and a spring-actuated backbar having its ends operatively connected to said bent-over fingers, forretaining said catch-plate or link in position, the said catch-plate orlink having its one end normally in holding engagement with a tooth orserration, and having its other end extending outwardlyin a directionaway from the faces of the slide members and constructed to be forced ina direction toward the faces of said members and release the holdingportion of the catch-plate or link from the tooth or serration,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. A buckle, comprising, a pair of slide members, movable one on theother, serrations or holding-teeth on one of said members, and the othermember having a pair of openings, an oscillatory catch-plate or linkprovided with a pair of ears or lugs extending into and through saidopenings, bent-over fingers or projections on said ears or lugs formedwith an open portion or slot between the fingers, and aspring-actuatedback bar provided with a tongue at each end extendinginto the openportion or slot between said bent-over fingers, whereby said back barhas its ends operatively connected with said bent-over iingers, forretaining said catch-plate or link in position, the said catch-plate orlink having its one end normally in holdingengagement with a tooth orserration, and having its other end extending outwardly in a directionaway from the faces of the slide members and constructed to be forced ina direction toward the faces of said members andrelease the holdingportion of the catch-plate or link, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

5. A buckle, comprising, a pair of slide members, movable one on theother, serrations or holding-teeth on one of said members, and the othermember having a pair of openings, forwardly-extending fulcrumal posts orsupports on said member, a catch-plate or link arranged to oscillate onsaid fulcrumal posts or supports, a pair of ears or lugs extending intoand through said openings, bent-over fingers or projections on said earsor lugs, formed with an open portion or slot between them, aspring-actuated back bar having its ends operatively connected to saidbent-over fingers, for ret-aining said catch-plate or link in itsoperative position on said fulcrumal posts or supports, the saidcatch-plate or link having its one end normally in holding engagementwith a tooth or serration, and having its other end extending outwardlyin a direction away from the faces of the slide members and constructedto be forced in a direction toward the faces of said members and releasethe holding portion of the catchplate or link from the tooth orserration, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. A buckle, comprising, a pair of slide members,movable one on theother, serrations or holding-teeth on one of said members, and the othermember having a pair of openings, forwardly-extending fulcrumal posts orsupports on said members, a catch-plate or link arranged to oscillate onsaid fulcrumal posts or supports, a pair of ears or lugs extending intoandthrough said openings, bent-over fingers or projections on said earsor lugs formed with an open portion or slot between them, a

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spring -aetuated back bar provided with a tongue at each end extendinginto the open portion or slot between said bent-over fingers, wherebysaidiback bar has its ends operatively connected to said bent-overfingers, for retaining said catch-plate or link in its operativeposition on said fulcrumal posts or supports, the said catch-plate orlink having its one end normally in holding engagement with a tooth orserration,and having its other end extending outwardly in a directionaway from the faces oftheslidemembers and constructed to be forced in adirection toward the faces of said members and release the holdingportion of the' catch-plate or link from the tooth or sei-ration,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The herein-described buckle,consisting, essentially, of slide membersa and b, a longitndinallyextending raised portion a3 on said member a,and a longitudinally-extending raised portion b3 on said member bprovided with serrations or holding-teeth, an oscillatory holdingcatch-plate or link on said slide member d, having lugs or earsextending on the back of said member a, a back bar e secured at its endsto said lugs or ears and a spring-tongue e4 forming an integral part ofsaid back bar, said spring-tongue having its free end in engagement withthe back of the said slide member a, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

8. The herein-described buckle, consisting, essentially, of slidemembers a and b, a longitudinallyextending raised portion a3 on saidmember a, and alongitudinally-extending raised portion b3 on said memberb provided with Serrat-ions or holding-teeth, the l said member d beingprovided With slots or openings, an oscillatory catch-plate or link onsaid member at, lugs or ears on said catchplate or link extendingthrough said slots or openings in the member a, holding-fingers d3 onsaid lugs or ears, a back bar e secured at its ends to said lingers d3,and a spring-tongue e4 forming an integral part of said back bar, andsaid spring-tongue having its free end in engagement with the back ofsaid slide member a, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In a buckle, the combination,with apair of slide members, one ofwhich is provided with a holding means, of an oscillatory holding catchor link, and a back bar provided with aspring-tongue forming an integralpart of said bar, and said holding catch or link having ears or lugsconnected with said back bar, whereby said holding catch or link has itsone end normally in holding engagement with the holding or locking meansupon the one slide member, and has its other end extending outwardly ina direction away from the faces of the said slide members, but can beforced in a direction toward the faces of the slide members to canse thedisengagement of the holding portion of the catch or link from the saidholding or locking means on the slide member, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

In testimony that I cla-im the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 5th day of October, 190i).

p ALBERT F. FULLER.

Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, JULIUs E. MERGOTT.

